Corona virus/COVID-19 is having a greater impact than we initially thought it would. I’ll try to keep this brief, and firstly let you know what we are doing, then go on to how we can help you keep going during this period.
Business (mostly) As Usual
We have every intention of carrying on as normal, while taking extra precautions.
- We will be stopping client visits – any that are currently booked are still going ahead, but for the foreseeable future we will be doing all work remotely where possible.
- We would also discourage visits to our offices unless absolutely necessary.
- If you have a genuine IT emergency, we will come out to you, but we are trying to limit contact with people.
- Please don’t be offended if we ask to wash our hands when we arrive, or use anti-bacterial wipes on your keyboard, disposable gloves etc. (We are aware that they have limited use, but washing keyboards is definitely not recommended!
Graham is more vulnerable due to his asthma and recent health issues, so please be considerate and if you have any symptoms, or have come into contact with someone diagnosed with the virus, please don’t visit or ask him to visit. I (Emily) will be able to visit Bucks clients if required, but our first approach will be to do a remote support session. I’m also concerned that I do not want to pick up an infection and unknowingly transmit to Graham.
If either of us are diagnosed with the virus or advised to self-isolate, then the other will be able to cover for them. We both have the capability to pick up each others’ phone calls and e-mails, so please ring the office numbers (below) to make sure you can speak to someone. And unless we are actually ill, we will certainly be working from home! We have additional help we can call upon if needed, to make sure our clients are supported.
How can we help?
If you need IT support to keep going, we can offer a free consultation to see if there is anything we can do to help. Topics you may want to think about are:
- Enabling staff to work from home
- Making your phone services accessible from anywhere using VOIP (voice over IP)
- Making files or facilities accessible from outside your office
- Using cloud storage for important files
- Holding virtual meetings rather than in-person
- Making the most of your digital marketing
- Obtaining remote IT support – if you’re connected to the internet, we can remotely access your PC/Mac to help you
For those of you with an Office 365 subscription, this includes access to OneDrive, which is the Microsoft cloud storage facility. This can be used to enable co-working from home provided the users have internet access – we wouldn’t recommend it as an ideal long term solution, but as a free interim solution, it’s a great place to start.
If you know any business owners that may benefit from the above, please do pass on our details.
Our office numbers are:
Buckinghamshire – Graham 01494 372494
Gloucestershire – Emily 01531 888256
